I Won't Say I'm In Love
by HoneyOpal
Summary: Marinette loves Adrien. Adrien loves Ladybug. After a sudden burst of confidence, the two decide to confess to their individual crushes, and both get rejected. Now Marinette and Chat Noir turn to each other for comfort- but soon realize they may be getting a little TOO close for comfort. Based on a tumblr post by pepper-bottom.
1. Chapter 1

**I Won't Say I'm In Love**

 **A Miraculous Fic**

 **By HoneyOpal / luxuriant-starlight**

 **Chapter 1**

Adrien was determined.

Like. SERIOUSLY determined.

He'd made up his mind. What he felt for Ladybug had gone on long enough. It had been 3 years already for God's sake. He'd loved her since he was 15 years old, and he was 10000% convinced he'd love her till the day he'd die.

Which could be any day now, considering his rotten luck.

Adrien had been thinking about doing this for a while. He'd contemplated every scenario in which he'd confess his love. Every possible outcome. He'd even practiced a couple times on the huge Ladybug poster on his bedroom wall (that no one was allowed to see, ever).

Well, a few times.

Maybe 5 or 6. Or 100.

Honestly, he'd lost count.

But that's beside the point!

The point is that now, Adrien had finally, FINALLY- after months of research and contemplation- cooked up the _perfect_ algorithm to determine what the best possible way to confess to his darling Ladybug was.

Tonight, while on their bi-weekly patrol, Adrien Agreste will finally confess his undying love for His Lady.

Hopefully, some of her good luck'll rub off on him.

Hopefully.

"Are you sure about this, kid?" Plagg asked, munching on a piece of Camembert while Adrien took his phone out of his pocket so he could take it with him after he transformed and slid on his shoes. "What if she rejects you?"

Adrien rolled his eyes and sighed. "A little faith in me would be appreciated."

"I'm _literally_ the god of bad luck. Forgive me for being a little pessimistic." Plagg responded, "Plus, I'm thousands of years old. I've seen some shit, kid. Just tryna be realistic here."

Adrien furrowed his brow, slightly pouting, and opened the window. "I'll deal with it. Now get in the ring."

Plagg harumphed. "Fine."

"Plagg! _Transforme Moi!_ "

As soon as the transformation rolled down Adrien's body, he leaped out the open window, kicking it shut as he bounded off to see his Lady at their rendezvous point. He was a big boy. He knew the risks of what he was about to do.

But...what if she does reject him?

What if-

 _It'll be fine,_ he quickly reassured himself. _Ladybug loves you- romantically or otherwise- and that's all you really need anyways._

 _Besides,_ he reasoned. _We're destined for each other._

Leaping over rooftops with practically lightning fast speed, he arrived at the their meeting spot on the roof of Notre Dam in no time. There, his Lady was waiting for him, eyes trained on the starry horizon, seemingly deep in thought.

She was beautiful. Like, stunningly so. Sky blue eyes, ebony hair. A lean and obviously muscular form- yet still soft and almost chubby in certain places. Her beauty was just... _captivating_. He could spend hours counting every freckle on every inch of her skin- though he was unfortunately restricted to just the skin on her face and neck by that spandex suit she always wore- starting with the spray of them across her cheeks.

He stood and stared for a moment.

No matter how sure he was this morning that he could do this, nothing could've possibly prepared him for the way his heart skipped a beat and leapt into his throat. The way his stomach sank. The way his legs seemed to get heavier with every step.

 _No._ His brain screamed. _You can do this. You made pie charts._

He forced his heart back down into his chest, and stuck that characteristic smirk back on his face.

I made pie charts. I have an algorithm.

Chat stepped forward, and steadied a shaky hand to place on her shoulder, breaking her concentration and making her whip her head around to look at him.

"My Lady." He bowed, and kissed her hand.

"Chat!" Ladybug pouted, furrowing her brow. "Where have you been? You're 30 minutes late."

 _Cute._ All these years, and she still made his cheeks warm. He praised God- or, err, Kwami?- for the mask on his face. He could've melted right there.

 _The pie charts!_ His brain nagged.

Right. Instead of melting, he stood straight back up and grinned that Chat-like grin.

"My a- _paw_ -logies, My Lady." Adrien leaned in closer and raised his eyebrows. "Did I make you miss me?"

Ladybug, in typical Ladybug fashion, simply rolled those baby blue eyes. "This may be fun, but this is also our job. Our responsibility. You know that."

"'M sorry. I won't be late next time." He told her, sincerely.

She pursed her lips. "It's okay. Just don't let it happen again, please, Kitty."

"Of course, My Lady." Adrien extended a leather-clad hand, gesturing towards the Parisian skyline. "Shall we?"

She smiled. His heart skipped another beat. "We shall."

The patrol went as the majority of them do- uneventfully. There was no crime in Paris that night- unless you count a rowdy teenage party they had to crash. After a young woman with a crying baby had complained to the superhero duo about the noise, informing them that she had already knocked on the door three times to ask them to keep it down, they walked over and tried their own hand at the teens.

The look on that kid's face when he opened the door and saw Ladybug standing there, with her hands on her hips, not amused- with Chat Noir and the young woman with the baby standing behind her- was priceless. Adrien almost wishes Alya had been here to film it.

The boy quickly apologized and lowered the music- much to the gratitude of the young mother.

Aside from that, Paris seemed to be having a chill Friday night- which Adrien was grateful for, because, had an akuma victim appeared, he wouldn't have the chance to let his Lady know what was on his mind.

By midnight, their patrol was done. He and Ladybug were perched back onto the rooftop of the Notre Dam, just silently enjoying each other's company, Ladybug leaning on his shoulder, eyes trained on the horizon again.

It should've been serene- but Adrien was restless. He'd been anxiously bouncing his legs for the better part of 15 minutes, waiting for the right moment to enact his plan into motion.

He was beginning to have some doubts.

How could he do this? How can he even go about doing this? He can't just confess to her! She's Ladybug! She's smart and funny and brave and sweet and kind and determined and heroic and confident and powerful and-

 _But you're Chat Noir!_ His brain chastised him. _And you have pie charts!_

To hell with pie charts! Graphs are not how you win a girl's affection! Especially not a girl as amazing as Ladybug.

Who was he kidding? What if Plagg was right? What if-

Ladybug sighed, and stood up straight.

"Alright, Chat. What's up?"

"My Lady?" He turned to her, surprised.

"You've been bouncing your leg for leg for 20 minutes now. What has you so restless?" She seemed worried. "You're usually so happy to spend time together after patrol."

"It's nothing." He assured her.

She didn't look convinced. "I'm your best friend. You _know_ you can tell me."

He sighed, standing up before her and taking her hands, pulling her a bit closer. "Ladybug...I…"

"Chat?" She pouted and blinked, batting those long eyelashes at him.

"I...I'll race you to the Eiffel Tower!" He shouted, grabbing his baton and extending it, already bounding towards the landmark.

Adrien heard her groan and call for him, clearly annoyed, but he just laughed, and kept going. She tried to keep up, swinging across lampposts, but couldn't beat him after that head start.

He quickly perched on the top of the Tower, standing triumphantly, awaiting Ladybug's arrival.

"Chat!" She panted. "Why'd you run? Can you please just tell me what's wrong?"

He sighed, his stomach dropping again. No turning back now.

"My Lady," Adrien stepped forward and took her hands in his again. "There's something I have to tell you."

She looked up at him expectantly, those soft, pink lips parted ever-so-slightly. **God** , she was _NOT_ helping to still his beating heart right now.

"...Becoming Chat Noir was the best thing that ever happened to me." Adrien started. "I'm freer, now. You don't know much about it, but you know I don't exactly have the easiest home situation-"

Ladybug gently squeezed his hands, comfortingly.

"But being Chat Noir allows me to do so many of the things that I'd never be allowed to do as Ad- as my civilian self. I fight bad guys. I do good things. I get to run and jump and make friends and...be myself. For the first time in forever.

"But...the best thing about being Chat Noir isn't the freedom. Or the glory. Or all the food that civilians give me for free. Or all the endless cat puns."

He chuckled at that. She rolled her eyes, but retained that small smile. He carressed her cheek.

"The best thing about being Chat Noir...is being able to be your partner, Ladybug. _You_ are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I can't stop thinking about you. And lately...I can't eat. I can't sleep. I can't do...anything. Because…"

"Chat…"

"Because I need you to know. I love you, Ladybug. Like. _Really_ love you."

Ladybug gasped, softly, and stepped back a bit, releasing her hands from his. She, instead, placed them on herself- one over her open mouth, the other on her chest. There was a pregnant pause while he let her take it all in.

"All this time...all that flirting…?" She asked, after a moment.

He nodded, earnestly.

She sighed, shakily, tears swelling in her eyes. "Oh, Chat...I...I'm sorry-"

His stomach sank. He stepped back.

"But…my heart already belongs to someone else."

"Someone...else?"

Oh.

"Yeah…I'm really sorry. If- if things were different. If there wasn't another guy-"

"No." Chat responded, shakily. "I get it."

She placed a gloved hand on his cheek, a tear running down her own. "I'm sorry."

He pressed himself into her hand, clutching it, but gently returned it to her.

"You can't help how you feel, I guess." He laughed, emptily.

"But I'm-"

"Don't be." He reassured her, gripping her hand again, and wiping the tear from her soft, freckled cheek. "There's nothing to be sorry about."

She looked devastated for him. He felt a twinge of guilt.

"I shouldn't have...done this."

"No. It's okay."

He turned away, readying his baton. "I should go."

"...Are we still friends?"

He didn't look at her. He couldn't meet her eyes. Not right now.

"Best friends. Always."

Before she could formulate a response, he was already gone.

 _And an idiot._

And once Adrien was sure he was out her eyeshot, he ran. He ran home. He opened his window and, once he was inside, de-transformed, removed his shoes and coat, and dropped himself on his bed.

"Kid…" Plagg started, actually feeling pity for him, for once.

"Don't." Adrien responded, numbly.

Plagg placed a tiny, velvet paw on Adrien's cheek, sympathetically- comforting him the best he knew how.

Adrien sobbed himself to sleep that night.


	2. Chapter 2

**I Won't Say I'm In Love**

 **A Miraculous Fic**

 **By Honey Opal / luxuriant-starlight**

 **Chapter 2 - Marinette Decides To Throw Herself Into The Fray**

That night, Marinette laid on her bed, staring up at her ceiling, replaying the events from patrol over and over again in her head.

No matter how she thought about it- no matter how she framed it.

She still felt like a _total jerk._

Her body felt numb.

How could she not know? How could she call herself Chat's best friend? How could she have been hanging around with him like three times a week every week for the past three years and not see it?

 _Maybe you're just a shitty friend._ Her heart suggested, bitterly.

Maybe you _are_ just a shitty friend.

She sighed and groaned, sitting up and pulling her knees to her chest.

He had just looked so devastated. He practically ran away from her. As if...like...

 _Like I shattered his heart._

Marinette's stomach sank even deeper.

"Marinette…" Tikki started, nuzzling into her cheek. "It's not that bad."

Mari groaned. "Yes, it is, Tikki!"

"He'll move on. I'm sure." Tikki reassured her, hugging her face as much as she could with her tiny body- basically, just managing to hold her chin and nothing else.

"It doesn't matter if he moves on or not. The problem is that I- the person who calls herself _his best friend_ \- couldn't see how he really felt about me. I _teased_ him. I led him on." She frowned. "And not just once! Consistently. For _years_!"

Tikki pursed her lips. "Marinette...I'm sure Chat knew what he was getting himself into. He knew the risks of confessing to you."

Marinette buried her face into her knees, pulling them even closer. Tikki stroked a little section of her hair.

"Oh, Mari. It really will be okay. You couldn't have known. It had been going on since you two met. You've never known a Chat that acted differently."

"...Maybe you're right." She admitted, peeking her eyes out at Tikki from behind her arms. "But I still feel bad. What if he doesn't wanna be my best friend anymore?"

"Of course he wants to be your best friend!" Tikki burst out, incredulously, but then took a more gentle tone. "Marinette, you two are meant to be best friends. You were chosen because you two are soulmates- romantic or platonic. Chat loves you. Not just romantically. He'd never stop wanting to be your friend just because you don't share his feelings."

Mari picked her head up, sighing.

' _ **Best friends. Always.'**_

She sighed again, sitting up. Tikki was right. Chat wouldn't want to stop being her friend just because she rejected him.

"But I still hurt him." She told Tikki, after a moment. "I still broke his heart."

Tikki sighed, patting her cheek. "Humans are more relisient than you think. His heart will heal."

"How can I possibly make it up to him, though?"

Tikki nudged her chin, making Marinette lift it to look at her.

"You can be his friend. You can keep caring about him, just like you're doing right now."

Marinette thought for a second.

"You're right."

Tikki giggled. "Aren't I always?"

Marinette grinned, hugging Tikki closely. "Always."

And for a moment, things seemed better.

Marinette laid back down on her bed, letting Tikki curl up on her pillow and rest.

After what could've been a few hours or a few minutes but just felt like an eternity, she was still awake- staring at her ceiling once again. She couldn't sleep.

She turned onto her side, restlessly, and a picture on her nightstand caught her eye. It was a bunch of pictures of her and Adrien. One of those photo booth picture strips. They had taken it this summer when they went to the arcade. One of the first times they hung out alone, outside of school.

She and Adrien were a lot closer now. For the whole first year they knew each other, Marinette was more than a little awkward around him. She could barely speak a whole sentence in his presence. The crush she had for him was just too massive.

But that was three years ago. Now she was 18 and much more mature than her 15 year old self. She finally mastered speaking full sentences around Adrien- encouraged to do so by the fact that they begun hanging around each other a lot more as Nino and Alya began to get closer.

Being around two other friends while they spoke every single time they hung out eventually broke the ice. Turns out, they had _a lot_ in common.

Now, Adrien was one of her five best friends (the friends being, in no particular order: Alya, Tikki, Nino, Chat, and Adrien). They hung out all the time. They played Mecha Strike and Mario Cart and Overwatch and a ton of video games together at her house like once a week or so. She spent lunch with him, Alya, and Nino like every day.

She took down her pictures of him. And his schedule. She changed her computer wallpaper to a picture of her and a bunch of her friends from class. Any pictures of Adrien in her bedroom were no longer magazine clippings or things she printed off the internet- they were pictures of them together. Laughing, smiling, having fun. All their memories together.

Yet, her feelings for him remained.

In fact...they _intensified._

Marinette's crush was no longer superficial. She didn't admire him from afar anymore. She admired him up close now. No longer was he perfect in her eyes- but, rather, perfectly imperfect.

 _A total dork._ She mused, a smile appearing on her face- only widening when she looked at the way he stuck his tongue out at her in the third picture.

 _A total dork that you adore._ Her brain reminded her.

Yeah. She _did_ adore him.

Chat's face flickered in her mind again.

He had confessed to her. He worked up the courage.

For how long? Weeks? _Months?_

However long, he had done it. He had planned and plotted. She knew he had. She knew him and how he was.

It was the bravest display of emotion she'd ever seen. He was clearly torn up about it, but still managed to confess- even though he knew he might get rejected.

 _Even though he did get rejected._ Her heart told her. _By you._

Oh. **Right.**

Marinette sighed, rolling onto her back again. _If only I could be that brave._

Her head turned towards Adrien's photo again. In the last of the four pictures, he was holding her close, laughing with his arms wrapped around her. She was mid-laugh too, her cheeks red.

Marinette turned to the ceiling again, and closed her eyes.

She knew what she had to do.

She had to be brave.

"Are you sure about this, girl?" Alya asked her, trying to catch up with Marinette's fast paced walk into school that Monday morning.

"I'm sure." Marinette told her. "I'm ready to tell him. I was thinking about it the whole weekend."

She had had a whole long-ass conversation with Tikki about it the morning after Friday night (when Chat had confessed and she had made up her mind), and then had another again with Alya that Sunday, when she came over to help her and her parents decorate some flower shaped sugar cookies for Spring.

She was determined.

Alya raised an eyebrow, narrowing her eyes a bit. "I still don't know what's gotten into you."

"Nothing has gotten into me." Marinette lied. "I just feel like I'm ready to finally tell him. I feel bad keeping it from him."

It wasn't a total lie.

"Alright, then." Alya replied, opening the door for Marinette.

When they walked into class, Adrien and Nino were already there, talking at their desks.

Marinette's heart fluttered a bit in her chest, and tried to jump into her throat, but she swallowed in down, and walked with Alya over to their row.

"Hey, guys." Alya greeted.

"Morning!" Marinette followed.

"What's up, ladieeessss!" Nino greeted, grinning. Alya rolled her eyes.

"Morning." Adrien seemed very...out of it? Marinette thought so.

"Are you alright, Adrien?" She asked, concerned.

"That's what I've been asking all morning!" Nino exclaimed, looking irritated. "I've been trying to get him to tell me what's wrong for like half an hour already."

"I told you- nothing's wrong." Adrien assured him, then turned to Marinette, smiling softly. "I'm okay, Mari."

"Are you sure? You don't look okay." Marinette furrowed her eyebrows.

"It's fine. Honestly, I'm just out of it because I'm tired. My father's had me working every night this week."

Marinette didn't buy it, but respected his privacy.

"Your dad is crazy!" Nino told him, huffing. "You're 18. You should be allowed to take breaks and have fun."

Adrien nodded and shrugged. "I guess."

They all spoke for a few more minutes, mostly about how Nino had had a gig DJing a party downtown this weekend. They quieted down by the time their teacher had come in.

As the teacher started her lesson, Marinette stared at the back of Adrien's head, thinking about how she was gonna confess. She was nervous but maybe for no reason.

She had been thinking this whole weekend about what would happen if Adrien rejected her-

 _Like you did Chat._ Her annoying brain reminded her **again.**

 _Shut up._ Marinette fired back.

\- but what if he _doesn't_ reject her? What if he actually...likes her back? What if he feels the same and they go on a date and then a few more and then become boyfriend/girlfriend and then he proposes and they get married on a sunny Spring day in an intimate family affair and then they live together and love each other and have three beautiful children named Emma, Louis, and Hu-

 _Woah woah_ _ **woah.**_

 _ **Chill,**_ _girl._ _You're not 15 anymore. Stop with these crazy fantasies and focus on the task at hand. How are you and Adrien gonna ever get married if he never knows how you feel?_

Marinette blinked, snapping out of it. She then ripped a paper out of her notebook and wrote Adrien a note.

'Hey. I have to tell you something. It's...kinda important. Can we talk after school?'

She slid the note under the desk, poking at his side with the corner of the folded paper.

Keeping his eyes trained on the teacher, he secretly grabbed the note, expertly placing it on his desk without the teacher seeing.

Marinette waited with baited breath.

After what felt like an eternity (but in reality was only 10 minutes), she felt a folded piece of paper poke her bare knee. She slid it onto her desk and opened it as inconspicuously as possible.

'Of course Mari. Is after school good? :p'

The note came with a tiny doodle of a smiling snail.

She grinned. She _adored_ this boy.

When he turned to look at her a few seconds later while the teacher turned away, she nodded slightly.

 _And now, we wait._

After the final bell rang and Marinette was freed from the absolute sin formally referred to as chemistry, she stood by Adrien's locker, waiting for him to arrive.

Her heart was doing flips.

She wasn't so sure she could do this. Maybe it wasn't too late to turn back. Maybe she should just tell him it was something funny and dumb like "you're a dork" or "you got some updawg on your shirt" and leave it at that.

She felt her phone vibrate in her skirt pocket. She slid it out and read her latest text. It was from Alya.

'You got this. I believe in you. 3'

Marinette smiled, her heart warmed by the text.

'Thanks, Alya. You're the best.'

And she was. Alya was such a good friend. Maybe Tikki was right. Maybe she really was lucky. Lucky to be blessed with such an incredible support group.

"What's got you so smile-y?"

Marinette whipped her head up, locking her phone and sliding it back into her pocket, as Adrien stood before her- all sandy blonde hair and grass green eyes and soft spoken and-

 _Focuusss._ Her brain nagged.

"A-Adrien! Hey."

"Hey!" He grinned. "I asked you a question, you know."

"Oh- oh yeah. Alya was texting me something sweet. About how I'm her favorite and whatever."

Adrien chuckled. Her heart nearly melted.

"You're _everyone's_ favorite, Mari."

Marinette giggled, nervously. "I sure hope so…"

 _ **Literally,**_ _though…_

"So, what did you need to talk to me about?"

Her stomach sank, but she willed it to work with her a bit.

"I...uh...wanted to know if you wanted to walk home with me."

It apparently didn't listen. _Goddammit._

"Sure. I actually have time, for once. Just let me grab my stuff?"

"Okay!" Marinette replied, a little too loudly and a little too quickly.

 _I'm reverting._ She panicked. _Shit._

 _Pull it together, Mari._

"Ready?" Adrien asked her, after a minute, slinging his messenger bag over his shoulder.

"Yeah. Let's go."

After a minute or so of feeling awkward, Adrien striked up a conversation, and she silently thanked him for taking the lead. They quickly started talking about some nerd shit- as two nerds like them might do.

"There is no way in hell that Ponyo is better than Howl's Moving Castle." She scoffed. "Sophie is so much more complex than Ponyo. Or Sosuke."

"Howl's good, but it's no Ponyo!" Adrien insisted. "Come on- the story of a young girl learning to break free from oppression! Teaching a boy about true love."

"It's more of a child-like infatuation, if you ask me. Or a platonic love."

Adrien huffed. "You just can't appreciate fine cinema."

She rolled her eyes and laughed, looking at him.

He was so… _God_ , he was so attractive. He drove her absolutely crazy. Like she said, he had that whole sandy blonde hair and grass green eyes thing going for him. But not only that, he had this...sunkissed skin. Like Apollo himself descended from the heavens and personally blessed him to forever be a literal embodiment of sunshine. _And his body, oh my_ _ **god.**_

Back when they were 15, Adrien was a bit more lithe- thin and shapely, but still maintaining a fit form and an alright shoulder to waist ratio. It came with not only having barely gone through puberty, but having to keep up that stereotypical model look. But now that he was older, Adrien was more built- and encouraged to maintain a wholesomely sexy look instead of the boyishly handsome look he had had before.

And _Lord,_ did it work for him.

He was still a little lithe, but had much broader shoulders. He wasn't exactly dorito shaped, but definitely more manly- thicker biceps and more defined muscles. He could now fill in a shirt.

He ran his fingers through his hair, looking ahead, his green eyes intensified and brightened by the sunshine.

Marinette could've stayed just like that, staring at him- soaking in his beauty.

But then she saw it.

His frown.

And not just that, but his eyebrows. They were furrowed. He was thinking very deeply about something.

Marinette frowned right along with him, then stopped walking, placing a hand on his shoulder. Adrien turned to look at her, surprised.

"Okay, model boy. Tell me what's wrong."

"Mari?"

She frowned deeper, putting her feelings for him aside to address him with proper concern. "You've been acting off all day. I know you. There's something you're not telling me."

He sighed, looking even more upset. "It's nothing."

"Adrien.."

"What about you? You've been off all day, too. Don't think I believe for one second that the real reason you wanted to talk after school was so I could walk you home." He raised an eyebrow at her, crossing his arms, petulantly.

Her stomach sank, but she quickly shook it off and laughed. "Are you trying to change the subject? I asked you first."

"I asked you second."

They narrowed their eyes at each other.

"Rock, Paper, Scissors for it?" Mari asked, determined. She had to win.

"You're on."

"Goddammit!" Mari cursed.

After three games of Rock, Paper, Scissors, she had lost. Twice.

In her defense, she had momentarily forgotten that paper beats rock. How does that even make sense?

"Ha! Now you have to tell me what's on your mind." Adrien gloated, sticking out his tongue.

 _Why am I so in love with this boy?_ Mari asked herself, even though she knew the answer.

"No. I changed my mind. I don't wanna tell you." Mari crossed her arms, pouting, and turning away.

"Oh, come on, Mari!"

"No!"

He placed a hand on her shoulder, gently turning her around. "You know you can tell me."

Her heart skipped a beat. Or several.

 _Okay. Okay okay okay. I can_ _ **do**_ _this._

 _I think._

"Alright...you're right." She confessed. "I do need to tell you something… kinda important. We should… maybe sit."

"Okay." He gestured towards a nearby bench, and they both sat.

Adrien looked at her, expectantly.

Her heart felt like it was filled with an icy cold fire.

"I know this is...sudden…" Marinette told him. "But…"

"But?"

"But… I really liked all the time we've been spending together, Adrien. I really like all your dumb jokes. I really like playing video games with you. I really like the way you scarf down all the food I give you, as if it's the first time you've ever seen a chocolate croissant. I really like the way you ramble about things you really like…"

"Mari?"

"I really like... _you,_ Adrien."

" _Mari…_ "

"No. More than really like you." She closed her eyes, and let out a deep breath. "I love you, Adrien. Like. Really love you. Like. I've-been-madly-insatiably-in-love-with-you-for-the-last-three-years in love with you."

Adrien looked floored. "Like...romantically?"

"Like, romantically."

There was a pregnant pause. Marinette's heart was beating so loudly, she could barely hear herself think.

After a moment, Adrien spoke.

"Marinette…" He sighed, eyebrows knit together. "The thing…. I had to tell you."

"The thing?"

"The thing is…" He took her hands in his, looking apologetic. _Oh no._

"The thing is…. there's someone else."

Her heart sank. "Someone...else?"

"I confessed to her last night. She rejected me but…" Adrien sighed. "But I'm still in love with her."

"In...love...with her?"

"I do love you, Mari. As a friend. And I love all the time that we've been spending together. You're...an amazing person. An amazing friend. Beautiful and fun and smart and determined and wonderful. But…"

"But I'm not her."

Adrien looked away, guiltily.

 _Of course._

 _Of course._

 _Why would I… how could I even think that… a guy like Adrien…_

Marinette stood, suddenly, letting go of his hands, staring at her feet.

 _You had better not cry._ She ordered herself. _Not in front of him. You had better save that shit for when you get home._

Her eyes welled up with tears anyway.

She tried to will them away. _Don't. Don't humiliate yourself any further. You'd better not._

Her resolve melted when Adrien stood up and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Marinette… I'm _so sorry."_

The tears just kept rolling down her cheeks.

"You're sorry?" She laughed, numbly, wiping her face. "What do you have to be sorry for, Agreste? I'm the one who's making you feel guilty for no reason."

He pulled her in close, suddenly, hugging her tight. "I still hurt you."

The tears kept flowing in his arms, staining his shirt. It just...wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. She'd come so far. She'd finally gotten close to him. Finally got them talking to each other. Finally become his real friend.

Maybe Tikki was wrong. Maybe she _wasn't_ so lucky after all.

Marinette sobbed.

Adrien rubbed her back and held her close.

He'd insisted on walking her home.

She tried to keep a brave face, but as soon as she got through the front door, she just pressed her back to it, slid down, and started sobbing again.

Her mother had heard her cries and immediately came rushing in from the bakery, a look of deep concern on her face. She helped Marinette to the couch and, there, Marinette had told her mother everything she could. How a "friend" she didn't feel the same for confessed his love to her. How she had rejected him. How she had been inspired by him and confessed to Adrien. How Adrien had rejected her on the way home.

"Oh, honey…" Her mom held her close, letting Marinette cry on her shoulder. "Sometimes, it just happens."

"I really thought we were meant for each other."

"I know, I know." Her mother sighed, stroking her hair. "I know it feels like the end of the world. But it's not. You're a bright, beautiful young woman. There are other things out there for you."

Marinette nodded, gripping her mother's dress harder, sniffling.

Her mother whipped up one of her favorite dinners that night- beef stew with carrots and potatoes. Warm and delicious, as always. Her father had pulled out his beat-up ice cream maker, as well- and made them homemade salted caramel ice cream.

It could've been delicious, but Marinette couldn't say. She was too messed up.

Instead, she just ate small, slow bites, and felt the tears dry on her cheeks, staring blankly at the table. She just felt numb.

After dinner, she had skyped Alya, and told her the awful news. Alya promised that they'd have a "Ladies Night" the next day- which basically just meant they'd get together and talk it out and cuddle and eat ice cream and watch the Real Housewives.

Marinette had agreed, gratefully- but aside from that, she didn't really speak much either.

Tikki seemed concerned. She, too, spent a fair amount of time comforting Marinette- and at least made her clean the smeared makeup and dried streaks of mascara off her face. Her pores would probably thank her tomorrow.

After a couple hours, though, Marinette sent Tikki to bed.

"I can't possibly sleep right now. It's best you just go to bed now. I'll lay down and try to rest in a bit."

"Are you sure?" Her kwami asked, concerned.

"Yeah. It's fine. I promise."

Tikki didn't look totally convinced, but gave in once Marinette put on her brave face.

"Alright...but you'd better be in bed by midnight! You do have school tomorrow, after all."

"Yes, _mom_." Marinette tried to grin. She wasn't quite sure she got it across.

Tikki rolled her eyes and kissed Mari's forehead before flittering off to her bed (which was essentially just a pillow and a small, hand sewn blanket hidden behind the staircase in Marinette's loft bedroom).

After Tikki was finally fast asleep, Marinette sighed, walking out onto her balcony, her blanket wrapped around her shoulders and a cup of green tea that her mother insisted she drink in her hands.

She took a sip of the now barely warm tea and sighed again, staring across at the lights of Paris.

 _This is supposed to be the city of love._

She scoffed. _More like the city of heartbreak._

Marinette laughed at her own bad joke, emptily.

She felt like a total idiot.

How did she not see this coming?

She sighed once more, shakily this time, and felt her eyes well up with tears again.

And once more, she sobbed.

Not the kind of sobbing she had been doing before.

Horrible, awful sobbing.

Marinette was devastated.

Three years she's been in love with Adrien. Three years she'd… actually believed that they'd… get married. Have kids. Spend their lives together.

 _How stupid._ She thought, bitterly, sinking down to her knees, gripping the railing with the hand not holding her now cold green tea. _So stupid._

She pressed her forehead up against it, letting tears fall onto the street below her.

She just kept sobbing and shaking. So loud was her sorrow that she didn't hear the leather-clad hero land on her balcony and walk towards her pathetic form.

"...Princess?" She heard a familiar voice ask.

She looked up to see Chat Noir, looking like he felt sorry for her.

 _Great._ She thought, and just cried harder.


	3. Chapter 3

**I Won't Say I'm In Love**

 **A Miraculous Fic**

 **By Honey Opal / luxuriant-starlight**

 **Chapter 3 - Sunshine and His Princess Have A Little Chat**

After Ladybug turned him down, Adrien was basically a fucking _mess._ He hadn't been _this_ sad in so long. Not since…

Well. You know.

The point is, Adrien was miserable. He could barely eat- no matter how much Plagg tried to coax him with that smelly Camembert he likes so much. He wasn't able to do much else but fake smile at the two photoshoots he had scheduled that weekend He couldn't sleep much either. The night after it happened, Adrien just stared at the ceiling (once he stopped sobbing), replaying the night over and over again in his head.

' _Chat...I...I'm sorry.'_

No.

' _But my heart-'_

 **No.**

' _Belongs to someone else.'_

 _ **Someone else.**_

He'd wondered who that 'someone else' was. Who had stolen his Lady's heart? Who was more dedicated to her than Chat Noir? Who else has thrown themselves into danger once or twice a week to protect her? Who thinks about her, talks about her, dreams about her as much as Adrien?

He was sure not even Alya was as dedicated of a fan as he was.

But more importantly...why hadn't she'd mention this boyfriend before? He understood that she didn't wanna reveal too much about each other, but shouldn't something like a boyfriend be something you tell your best friend about? Especially when that best friend has done nothing but outwardly flirt with you for the past three years straight?

"Well, maybe she doesn't have a boyfriend." Plagg suggested that Saturday night, while he lay in his usual comfy spot on Adrien's sofa.

"What?" Adrien asked, incredulously.

"Maybe she doesn't have a boyfriend." He repeated, nibbling on his cheese and crackers lazily.

"Are you saying she was lying about it? I don't think she'd give an excuse like that."

"Not lying, kid."

"Then what do you mean?"

"Well, maybe it's not a boyfriend. Maybe there's just some guy that she likes."

"A crush?"

"Whatever you humans call it. The point is that she never actually straight up said that she has a boyfriend. Just that-" Plagg flew up, batting his eyelashes and dramatically swooning. "Her heart belongs to another!"

Adrien narrowed his eyes.

"Whatever. You get it." Plagg insisted.

Adrien thought for a second.

 _I guess...she never really_ _ **did**_ _say she had a boyfriend._

It made him feel a little better to entertain that idea.

A little, at least.

Enough for him to get at least a couple of hours of sleep that night.

Adrien hadn't really expected to have an eventful week. He just really wanted to go to school and see Nino and Marinette and Alya and all of his friends and just...try to get his mind off of his heartbreak. He'd figured school would be uneventful- just like he'd needed it to be.

And, for the record, that Monday morning was rather uneventful.

For a moment anyways.

He'd obviously had very little sleep. His friends knew it. His teachers knew it. Nathalie knew it. The Gorilla knew it.

They'd all pestered him to find out what was wrong. Why he looked so dead.

Especially at school. Nino had been trying to get Adrien to explain himself all morning. And he'd felt bad, obviously. But what was Adrien supposed to do? Tell him everything?

'Yeah, Nino, I'm fine. I'm just dealing with unimaginable heartbreak because I finally, after three years of trying, confessed to the love of my life- I'm sure you know her. Ladybug? Heroine of Paris. Yeah, her- And she _rejected_ me, even though- by the way- I'm secretly _Chat Noir_ and I know that we're meant to be together.'

Yeah. He couldn't do that. No matter how much he wanted to.

So he just assured Nino that he was fine, just like he had done for everyone that morning. And things were normal.

That was, until Marinette walked in.

Adrien wouldn't admit it out loud- because he doesn't want to embarrass himself in front of her, obviously- but he's had the biggest platonic crush on Marinette since the day they met.

He didn't like her like her like Nino insists on insisting, but he definitely did admire her.

And why wouldn't he, you know?

She was just so amazing! Friendly and caring and smart. Determined. Passionate. She always stands up for what's right. Never lets _anyone_ get away with acts of injustice. Not to mention funny and beautiful and pretty much the most popular girl in school.

And she wasn't popular because she was vain or rich or attractive or anything like TV would have you believe popular girls need to be.

She was popular because she was genuinely loveable. Everyone loved her. She was everyone's friend. She had an amazing family who made amazing baked goods and had a great talent for designing and leading and working well under pressure and was just so...optimistic. Adrien envied it, but couldn't find it in himself to ever be bitter around her. She was just a walking ray of sunshine.

So you can imagine why he was so, so awkward around her.

Or at least, he was, until recently- when he had finally, _finally_ become her friend. _Finally_ gotten her to open up. _Finally_ got to make her smile and laugh… that beautiful laugh.

But then-

' _I love you, Adrien.'_

But then he fucked it all up.

This wonderful girl spilled her heart out to him, confessed to loving him in a way that he was too much of an idiot to notice and he made her basically run away crying.

He rejected her.

He rejected her. He broke her heart. He destroyed his relationship with one of his absolute best friends. All because he had been too caught up in Ladybug to see what was right in front of- err, **behind** \- him all along.

Adrien desperately wanted to know how Marinette was feeling- how he could possibly help make it better.

But she wouldn't even speak to him anymore, so how was he supposed to-

 _Wait._

Now she won't speak to Adrien.

Not to _Adrien._

But maybe to Chat Noir.

He'd have to pay a certain _princess_ a visit.

That night, as soon as he'd eaten dinner and finished his homework (like a GOOD boy), Adrien transformed almost immediately and jumped out his bedroom window.

Chat Noir leapt and ran from rooftop to rooftop, on the prowl for one in particular-

 _Ah._

The Dupain-Chengs' Bakery.

He landed on the balcony of the attic bedroom silently, behind where Marinette was standing by the railing, facing away from him, drinking what smelled like tea, with a soft _thump._ She was staring down at the street below her. Soft, early 2000s breakup pop music was playing from her speakers.

 _Is that Kelly Clarkson?_ He tilted his head, humming. _It's been a long time since I've jammed to Since U Been Gone. Why have I forgotten how good that song is? Maybe it's be-_

 _Focus, idiot._

Right. **Right.**

Chat sucked in a sharp breath and swallowed down the butterflies in his stomach before tapping lightly on the glass of her French door with his knuckles, as he walked towards her.

"Hey."

Marinette whipped her head around, moving her loose black hair out from in front of her eyes.

Chat let out a small gasp. She looked awful.

Well, not awful. She was of course still very beautiful, he didn't mean it like that, but-

Well. You get the idea. She looked beautiful….but like a beautiful mess. Her hair was messy and all over the place. She had bags under her eyes, as if she couldn't sleep. Her mascara had run down her cheeks a bit, as if she'd been crying quite a bit.

She looked miserable.

Chat Noir's heart felt cold in his chest.

The girl before him rubbed her eyes and looked at him.

"What do you want, Chat?" Marinette deadpanned. "I'm sort of really not in the mood for your flirting tonight."

"Mm, so you're in the mood for my flirting other nights, then, Princess?" He winked, flashing her his trademark Chat Noir grin.

She narrowed her eyes. _Why am I being such an idiot?_ _ **Focus!**_

Chat cleared his throat. "Actually… I sort of saw you from across the street looking pretty sad. And you're my friend and I care about you- obviously. So, I came to check up on you."

"Oh." She sighed, sniffing.

Chat watched as she walked into her room and plopped down onto her chaise, before looking back up at him and speaking, her voice breaking painfully. "Figures you'd see. That's just my luck lately."

Marinette laughed bitterly as Chat grabbed a tissue from her desk and plopped down right next to her, offering it up.

In all the years he'd known Marinette- both in and out of the suit, he'd never seen her quite like this. He'd stop by as Chat Noir all the time and check up on her- but she was never this sad. Like, _sure_ , sometimes he'd find her upset or frustrated. Marinette wasn't necessarily famous for her immense patience.

But he'd never seen her look so…. **broken.**

"Mari, what happened?" He asked, as she took the tissue and used it to wipe away her dried tears and runny mascara.

"It's nothing, Chat." She replied, her voice softer now. "I just wanna be alone right now."

 _You did this to her._ A voice inside reminded him. _You're the reason she's crying like this._

 _Shut up and let me handle it._ He urged the voice, silencing it.

"It's not nothing." He insisted, wrapping an arm around her.

"Go away, Chat Noir." Marinette looked down and away, as if to hide her tears.

He lifted her chin up. He didn't want her to hide. He wanted her to open up. Why couldn't she just trust Chat and talk about it?

"Please, Mari." He begged. "Just tell me who hurt you. I just wanna help you feel better. I care about you."

Marinette looked up at him, sniffling. She pointed her chin to a picture of her and Adrien on the wall. He recognized it as one they took at Alix's 17th birthday party. Alix had gotten a "photo booth" where everyone was encouraged to take silly pictures. They had taken at least a dozen together.

"Adrien?" He asked, his heart sinking. He knew he was the reason why she was upset, but the confirmation definitely hurt. "What happened?"

Marinette sighed and leaned into him. "I've never told you...or really, anyone besides Alya this but...I'm in love with him."

Chat breathed shakily, looking down at her.

"I've been in love with him for years," she continued. "And I finally worked up the nerve to _tell_ him. I've wanted him to know for so, so long. And- and I'm glad I finally did, don't get me wrong, but-"

"But he doesn't feel the same?" Chat asked, rubbing her back in encouragement.

Marinette buried her face in his chest and nodded.

Chat Noir sighed. "I'm sorry, Marinette. It happens. I…" He swallowed, thickly, remembering Ladybug. "I can tell you that I definitely know how you feel."

She seemed to tense up, he'd noticed. As if she was uncomfortable.

"Ladybug?" She'd asked, before he could wonder about why she reacted like that.

"Yeah. I told her, recently. I told her I loved her. But she… she's in love with someone else." He recounted, bitterly.

"I'm sorry, Chat." Marinette looked up at him, putting a hand on his cheek comfortingly. "You deserve better."

He smiled. "I appreciate it. But I don't think there's any girl out there that could make me feel quite like My Lady does."

Marinette hummed, biting her lip and looking down, thoughtfully. _Cute_.

His heart fluttered, for some reason. _What is that about?_ _Of course she's cute but…_

"You deserve better, too." He added, quickly. "Better than Adrien, I mean."

She smiled at him, sniffling again, and wiping at her teary eyes. "Thanks, Kitty. But like you said- there's no boy out there who could make me feel quite like Adrien does."

Chat sighed, nodding thoughtfully.

"Well, at least you have me to keep you company." He grinned that trademark toothy grin of his. "I've been told I'm quite good company, after all."

He winked. _What the fuck is wrong with you, oh my_ _ **God**_.

Marinette turned pink. _She's blushing? That's new… and kinda_ _ **cute**_ _._

"I can't say I disagree." She smiled, blinking those long, beautiful eyelashes up at him.

He felt his face heat up, realizing that she was quite close to him. Her face… her lips only inches away. If he'd just- _Ok, no- Abort, abort,_ _ **aboRT.**_

"You- I-" Before Chat could say anything, he was cut off by the beeping of his miraculous.

Marinette blinked, and pulled away, smiling a bit. "I guess you gotta go now."

"Yeah, I guess I do."

There was a pregnant pause for a second. Chat's face would just NOT cool down. Was it hot in here?

"Well, then." Marinette broke the silence, sighing contently and standing up. "I guess I'll see you around?"

"Yeah." He stood up, grinning down at her. "I guess I'll...CAT-ch you later, princess."

Marinette smiled and melted his heart again. "I sure hope so, Kitty-Cat."

His face was on fire, now. "Yeah. Yeah- you- you will. You sure will. I'll- I'll be back, for sure. For sure….cool cool cool."

Marinette giggled, somewhat nervously, face pink. "B-bye."

He laughed nervously, swallowing down those butterflies again. "B-bye, Princess."

Chat Noir turned to leave but before he could leap off the balcony, Marinette grabbed his wrist. "Chat, wait."

"Princess?" He asked, confused.

She leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

"Thanks again, for going out of your way to cheer me up."

Chat_ has stopped working.

"Oh- uh, yeah- yeah. Anyt-anytime, princess. I-" His face heated up, furiously. "I gotta go-go now. This was great. It was uh...bingo bongo. Uh- I mean. I gotta leave. Bye."

Marinette laughed hard as he leapt off her balcony, calling out a goodbye behind him.

When Chat Noir finally got home, he detransformed almost immediately.

 _What is wrong with me?_ _ **Bingo Bongo**_ _? Where did I even GET that from?_

The now mask-free Adrien Agreste plopped down on his bed, screaming into his pillow.

"What was that?" Plagg asked, amused.

"A scream." He replied, muffled by his pillow.

"No, I mean- the thing with your Princess. I thought you were gaga in love with _your Lady_?" Plagg teased, laughing as he bit into a slice of Camembert that was waiting for him on Adrien's nightstand.

"I...I'm in so much trouble, Plagg."


	4. Chapter 4

**A Miraculous Fic**

 **By HoneyOpal / luxuriant-starlight**

 **Chapter 4**

Marinette was just. A mess that morning. To be entirely fuckin' frank.

But, then again- what would you expect from a girl who had literally just been rejected by the man she had very much considered to be her potential soulmate for almost the entirety of her teenage life.

Ugh. She didn't even want to flashback to that.

The way he looked so… so _sorry_. Like he pitied her.

She just felt so devastated. So heartbroken.

So… _humiliated._

Marinette had cried herself to sleep every night this week. How could she have been so stupid? Of course there was someone else. Of course there was.

And yet, through all her anguish…

She couldn't stop thinking about last night.

Chat Noir had come to visit her. He really was sweet, for an alley cat.

He'd seen her crying into her tea on the railing. She was blasting Kelly Clarkson (obviously- what else does one play after they've been rejected?) and replaying that awful moment Adrien turned her down over and over again.

But he came to comfort her. Of all the things he could've spent that night doing, he went out of his way to cheer her up even after-

Well, even after she had shattered his heart.

Not that Marinette did, of course. It was Ladybug who had rejected him.

But still. She's seen the sadness in his eyes since the day it happened. She knew she hurt him. She knew the last thing that kitty needed was more heartbreak.

And yet, he took it all on, just to make her feel better.

That sounds so stupid, now. But the gesture really touched her.

And, you know, maybe it was her tender, weakened heart. Maybe it was her exhaustion. Maybe it was dehydration from all the crying. Maybe it was just the way his eyes shone in the moonlight.

Whatever it was, her broken heart felt warmer. Her cheeks did, too.

She had _flirted_ with him.

And yeah, obviously, she has flirted with him before. But it was always casual. It never meant anything. She had never felt anything. Maybe she would have if not for her love for Adrien…

But that was over with, now. There was nothing and no one holding her back.

Chat Noir was present in her life and loved her (err...well, he loved her superhero persona, at least). He had smiled and stumbled over his words and blushed in a way she had never seen before last night. And when he leaned in, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little tempted to-

 _Okay, woah. What is going on with you? He's one of your best friends, and your partner. That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. You just got your heart broken._

Okay. Maybe her conscience was right. It doesn't make sense to let yourself fall for someone else before you've even let the dust settle on the person you loved before.

She was just vulnerable. She had a moment of weakness. That was all.

 _Exactly. Don't get your hopes up._

No matter how nicely he's filled in that suit over that past few years, or how much he seemed to want it, too. Or how strong his jaw is or tight that leather is or-

"Mari, are you even listening?" Alya demanded, jarring Marinette out of her deep train of thought.

"Oh- uh- sorry, what?"

Marinette had totally spaced out. She was walking home from school with Alya, who was telling her about the new camera she'd been wanting and finally bought, and she'd been totally ignoring her. Yikes.

"Were you thinking about him again?" Alya asked, softening her tone.

"Him- no- uh- what makes you think I was thinking about him, haha?" Marinette stumbled, laughing nervously.

"Because I'm your best friend, and your face has _Adrien_ written all over it." She explained with a chuckle.

 _Oh. Right._ _ **Adrien.**_

"Yeah. I was. I'm really sorry." Marinette apologized.

"Don't be. Listen- I know it's been super hard for you. I know your emotions have been all over the place-"

" _Super_ all over the place." Marinette agreed.

"-Which is _whyyy_ I declare we have an emergency girls' night, tonight." Alya finished, singsonging.

Marinette blinked. "An emergency girls' night?"

"Yup." Alya popped the 'p' in the word so as to emphasize.

Marinette shifted, uncomfortably. "I don't know, Al. I'm not really feeling it, tonight."

"Oh come on, Marinette."

"I don't know."

"Listen. I think you- well, every woman on this Earth, but especially you at the moment- need a break from men and their nonsense. You have been hurting for way too long."

"It's only been like, a week."

"Exactly. Come on, Mari. Let's get lit together in a sacred act of solidarity and _sisterhood_. In the name of feminism! Let's get fucked up!" Alya declared, yelling out loud as they walked, so as some people around them turned to look at them.

Marinette snorted and bust out laughing for the first time in what felt like centuries. "Okay, okay. Let's get 'lit.'"

"That's my girl! Onward!"

Alya led her towards the bakery, marching like a bandleader in a parade. Marinette's heart warmed. She really had a pretty gosh darn amazing best friend.

One change of clothes, one march towards Alya's place, three hours, and two bottles of rosé later, they were, indeed, thoroughly "lit."

Marinette was sitting up on Alya's bed, girly drink in hand, as Alya stood up and exaggerated her story.

"-And, I swear to God, Nino can no longer even LOOK at a pineapple without sweating."

They both burst out laughing, hard- that is, until Alya tripped and fell on the bed next to Marinette, and they laughed harder.

As their laughter turned to giggles, and then to contented sighs, for a second, Alya and Marinette just looked at each other. Alya shifted on her stomach and propped her head up to make herself more comfortable.

Marinette sighed happily, overcome with love, caressing Alya's cheek. This girl was really there for her. Mari had been so stressed and overwhelmed with heartbreak this whole week- yet Alya knew just what to do. And now, three hours later, it's like she's almost completely forgotten what she was even upset about.

Marinette felt tears come to her eyes.

"Alya." She held back a sob, grasping her best friend's hand and pulling it close to her. "You're my very best friend. Did you know that?"

"Mari…" Alya bit back a sob, too, tears coming to her eyes as well. "Girl, stop, before I cry."

"No, I can't stop. I love you, Al. You're always there for me. You always help me out- even when I'm a angsty mess. You taught me how to highlight and contour. There's no love like the love I-" Marinette's drunken love confession was interrupted by a hiccup. "-have for you. I love you, Al. So, so much. More than Project Runway. You're my fuckin' lobster, man."

"Marinette, oh my godddd…" Alya sobbed for real this time, sitting up and pulling Marinette into her warm embrace. "You're MY lobster. You're too good. Too precious for this world. I love you so much, my cinnamon roll. I love you forever."

Marinette's heart warmed, and she felt butterflies in her stomach. She sniffled, then sobbed.

"I love you forever!"

They both sobbed in each other's arms, holding each other tight, until the crying finally subsisted.

"Okay, okay." Alya sniffled, sighing and looking Marinette in the eye. "Now that we've confessed our love, I- I have to confess something about me. Something SO crazy. Like, if you find out, you'll like. Supernova."

Marinette giggled. "I'll supernova?"

"It's like a crazy galactic explosion. It'll get ya."

"Okay. I'll try not to supernova. But tell me what it is!"

"Okay, okay. Here goes." Alya breathed in, hyping herself up. "Remember Max's 15th birthday party?"

"When we played laser tag?"

"Yeah. And you remember how me and Alix and Juleka and all those guys were on the team opposite of you and Nino and Adrien and whatever?"

"Yeah! Team Awesome versus Team Spectacular."

Alya chuckled, but then took another deep breath. "And you remember how the last two people left on my team were me and Alix? And we were off for like a good half hour on a 'stake-out'?"

"Yeah?"

"We weren't on a stake-out. We were totally making out."

"WHAT?" Marinette gasped, pretending to almost fall off the bed.

They both laughed hysterically.

"I can't believe you kissed Alix! Dude! That was like- like-" Marinette stumbled, being slightly more drunk than Alya. "Like the fuckin' WEEK before she went on her first date with Kim!"

"I know! It was like a totally spur of the moment thing. But…" Alya blushed, looking away. "To be entirely honest, even though I have Nino, now, I've kind of had a thing for Alix ever since she spitballed Kim in the eye when we were like 13. I don't really feel that way anymore, but I did and I acted on impulse and we've literally never talked about it since but I've thought about it so much."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Marinette asked, her eyebrows knitting together.

"I don't know." Alya admitted. "Honestly, I've never told anyone. I was sort of gonna ask her out, but then Kim beat me to it and I didn't really wanna bum anyone out or anything."

"Alya.." Marinette was touched. Alya had been holding back this big secret for so long, and now she told her just because she wanted to better their friendship and break all the obstacles between them.

Maybe it was the rosé talking, but Marinette felt awfully compelled to tell her a secret, too.

"Alya.." Marinette bit her lip, trying to sober up as much as she could (which, tbh, was not much at all). "I have a big secret to tell you, too."

"What is it, Mari? You can tell me anything." Alya assured her, putting her hand on hers. Alya was such a good friend. She had to tell her.

Marinette downed another glass in a milisecond, before taking a deep breath.

"Alya." Marinette said, seriously. "I'm Ladyboog."

Alya stared at her for a moment, before bursting out laughing.

"L-Ladyboog? Hahahaha, oh my god." Alya wiped a tear from her eye. "That's so fucking funny, Mari. Maybe you've had enough to drink for one night."

As Alya cut her off, Marinette whined, and stood up on the bed, pouting and crossing her arms.

"No, Alya! I'm serious!" Mari huffed. Why wouldn't Alya listen? "I'm Ladyboog!"

Alya laughed again, letting it fade into a satisfied chuckle. "Okay, Ladyboog- prove it."

Marinette narrowed her eyes at her smirking best friend. Fine. She wouldn't take her word for it? Then Mari would just _have_ to prove it.

"Okay, then." Marinette declared, placing one hand on her hip and the other pointing up towards the air. "Tikki! Spots on!"

"Wait, wha-"

Alya didn't have time to finish that sentence, because all of a sudden Marinette, her best friend and almost-sister was transforming before her eyes into the very superhero she had been investigating since the day they'd met: Ladybug.

Marinette heard Tikki's faint cries of disapproval in the back of her mind before she could process what she had just done. She had just drunkenly transformed in front of, and revealed her identity to Alya.

Alya's wine glass slipped from her hand and fell to the floor, shattering. Marinette tried to open her mouth and explain herself but couldn't. The only thing she could say now was-

"Oh, _fuck._ "


End file.
